READ THE REID: The remarkable story of Peggy and Columba McDyer

1947 was the year of the Big Snow in Ireland when hundreds of lives were lost in the harshest winter in living memory. Peggy O’Donnell was 20 years of age then. She was an aspiring and vivacious young lady who played centre-half-back for the Ballina Stephenites camogie team. Gaelic games and Gaelic culture were in her blood. Although many sporting fixtures were decimated by the atrocious weather conditions, some GAA matches did survive that winter. One such game was an encounter between the senior footballers of Sligo and Mayo which took place in Ballina. Peggy’s life was about to change forever.

The Sligo players were forced to stay in Ballina that night because their team bus broke down. A local dance was taking place in the Ballina Town Hall that evening. There was great excitement in the town because news filtered through that the Sligo lads would be attending the dance.

Peggy was there. The captain of the Sligo team, John Joe Lavin asked her for a dance. She gladly accepted but a request to “keep him (from the Sligo captain) a dance” later never came. Disappointed but not disheartened Peggy resumed her evening and soon a young Donegal lad who was playing for Sligo at the time approached her for a dance. His name was Columba McDyer. (Columba early that Spring transferred to Cavan, see footnote*).

She reluctantly accepted and declined an offer for another dance later. Columba wasn’t giving up and made a point of going back to Peggy just as the night in the hall was ending. His persistence paid off because Peggy was walked home a short distance away to Bridge Street by the young Glenties man. She thought that she’d never see or hear from this Donegal man again.

A week later, the local postman arrived to Peggy’s home and handed her an envelope and said, “A love letter for Peggy”. Columba McDyer and Peggy O’Donnell were married in St. Muredach's Cathedral, Ballina on 3rd September 1947. Peggy was now 21 and Columba 25. This was a double wedding with her sister Vera and brought forward from September 8th to accommodate Columba’s impending All-Ireland final date with Kerry.

I had a prearranged appointment with Peggy McDyer last Sunday evening at her home in Glenties. Her son Paddy convened this meeting at my request because I wanted to hear her story and that of her husband from the lady herself.

Much has been written about Columba over the years because he has the honour of being the first Donegal man to win an All-Ireland senior medal. He played for Cavan in that famous final which took place in the Polo Grounds in New York in 1947. This venue was chosen to mark the 100th anniversary of the Irish famine of 1847 and to thank the American people for their help during that time. Sadly, Columba passed away in 2001. However, Columba will never be forgotten and his name will always be synonymous with both Cavan and Donegal.

At 92 years of age, Peggy McDyer has lost none of her faculties or charm. She is clever, articulate and has a great sense of humour. Her memory is vivid which gives such clarity to her and Columba’s love and life story. Peggy told me that she has happy and brilliant memories. She and Columba had sadness in their lives too though

I couldn’t help but notice the photographs on the wall of their deceased siblings. Their first passed away after only three months. Four more went to their eternal home in adulthood, the last being Peg who lost her battle only two years ago. Peggy’s home is adorned with beautiful religious artefacts. Faith obviously is an intrinsic part of life in the McDyer household. Peggy pointed to a beautiful wooden cross which was carved by Columba who was a talented carpenter and wood worker. Peggy herself became dangerously ill late in 1947. She spent three months in St. Mary’s Hospital in the Phoenix Park. A local priest attached to the Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin called to visit the patients every day, including Peggy. His name was Father Shouldice who was an inter-county footballer with Dublin at the time.

One particular day, Columba approached Fr. Shouldice to ask him what would be the ultimate sacrifice that he (Columba) could make to restore his young wife’s health. “Have your medal moulded into a Chalice” the priest told him.

Columba did what Fr. Shouldice told him. The Chalice now resides in the Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church. I asked Peggy if it worked. “Look at me today” she said.

Columba McDyer was a remarkable man who evidently, truly loved his wife. He had an outstanding football career with Donegal, Cavan, Sligo, Ulster and Connaught. More importantly, he was a brilliant husband to his wife Peggy and a brilliant father to his sons and daughters.

Peggy McDyer is a living legend in her own right. She “baptised” (her words) thirteen children. She is a mother, grandmother and great grandmother. I just want to mention her grandson Garvan (Paddy’s son) who joined me and the rest of the Donegal team and backroom team in Dubai in 2013 for a New Year’s Party in Dubai. Thanks for your company Garvan. Peggy McDyer is an avid fan of all sports, particularly Gaelic football. She follows her local club, Naomh Conaill, shouts for Donegal and Cavan but I feel that her heart still remains with her native Mayo.

To Peggy and Paddy McDyer, I want to sincerely thank you for having me last Sunday evening. For me personally, the McDyer story is so inspirational and uplifting. May the best team win on Sunday and as always, keep the faith!

*Footnote: After the National League of 1947, Cavan and Monaghan were vying for Columba McDyer’s services, especially Cavan who needed a strong and athletic midfielder. The respective GAA County Board’s Chairmen met to decide Columba’s fate. Cavan won the toss of the coin and that’s how Columba McDyer ended up playing with Cavan!